Voltage indicator



1933- J. c. PENDOCK VOLTAGE INDICATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1932 m r k 4 m ma 6h w 4S--i:||I|||! f a L 2 11 1 a g WH 2 .1 pm 2 Patented Oct. 3, 1933PATENT. {OFFICE 7 1,928,951 VOLTAGE mnrcs'roa Jonathan C. Pendock,Toronto, Ontarl Canada I Application August 26,; 1932, Serial No.630,574, andin Canada June 21, 1932 4 Claims. (Cl.1'1195) In workingabout-electrical installations, the

' operator often is in doubt as. to the voltage car-- ried by variouslines, and the object of my invention is to devise means for readilydetermining I the voltage of any given circuit, which means is verysimple in operation and which at the same time is very simple andreasonably inexpensive in construction.

I attain my object by providing a tubular hous-' It) ing .in which ispositioned a solenoid, the movable core of which has mounted thereonavscale adapted, when the winding of the solenoid is energized, to beprojected through a hole in the housing, the scale being arranged sothat the ex- 16 tent of its projection indicates the voltage of thecircuit or line. The device is provided with contacts, provided withsuitably insulated hand engaging portions for manipulating purposes,which contacts are in electrical communication with 20 the solenoidwinding. The construction is hereinafter more specifically described andillus-' trated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is alongitudinal section of the improved indicator; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the. parts in the position assumed ingiving an indication.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures. The indicator comprises a tubular casing 1 ofinsulating material having a closure 2 at one end and a closure 3 at theother end.

Carried by the closure 2 is a tube 4 of insulating material. On thistube 4 adjacent the closure 2 is mounted a solenoid winding or coil 5.Slidable within the tube 4 is the solenoid core 6, on one end of whichis mounted a scale 7 adapted to be projected through a hole in theclosure 2. The other end of the core 6 has one end of a coil spring 8connected thereto, the other end of which is connected with aninternally threaded member 9 held adjacent the closure 3 by a screw 10passing through said closure. This member 9 is also threaded within theend of the sleeve 4 and is provided with a notched end for engagement bya screw driver so that its position in the sleeve 4 may be adjusted.

14 are the lead wires passing through holes in the closure 3, the outerends of which wires are preferably provided with suitable contacts 11provided with insulated hand grip portions 12, and the inner ends of thewires connected to the ends of the solenoid winding, preferably throughthe terminal posts 16 mounted on the underside of the partition 17..

The scale 7 is preferably provided with two sets of indications, one fordirect current, and the otherfor alternating current. To preventpossible damage to the spring 8' in the event of pressure being appliedto the outer end of the scale, I prefer to provide within it asupporting post to receive the pressure of the end of .the solenoid corewhen the latter is retracted, This supporting post may be formed on orsecured to the end of the member 9. To prevent damage to the edge of theclosure 2 adjacent the scale 7, the closure is preferably provided witha metal ring reinforcement 18.

The operation of the device is as follows. The contacts 11 are engagedwith the two line wires, and as the solenoid winding 5 is energized, thecore 6 is caused to move relative to the winding and the scale is thusprojected through the closure 2. The highest exposed graduation of thescale will indicate'the line voltage. After the contacts 11 aredisengaged from the line wires, the spring 8 will cause the core toreturn to its normal position with the scale retracted.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have devised aconstruction which will satisfactorily attain the object of my inventionas set out in the preamble of this specification.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Inc. voltagev indicatonthe combination of a tubular-body; a closurefor one end of said body; a tubular support having one end connectedwith said closure said closure having a hole formed therethrough inalinement with the tube; a solenoid winding carried by said tubularsupport adjacent said closure; a solenoid core slidable lon'gitudinallyin said tubular support; a scale movable with one end of the coreadapted to be projected through said hole; a spring within the tubularsupport having one end connected to the other end of the solenoid core;a plug in the other end of the tubular support to which the other end ofthe spring is connected; and. a closure for the other end of the tubularbody, said closure forming a support for the other end of the tubularsupport.

2. In a voltage indicator, the combination of a tubular body; a closurefor one end of said body; a tubular support having one end connectedwith said closure said closure having a hole formed therethrough inalinement with the tube; a. solenoid winding carried by said tubularsupport adjacent said closure; a solenoid core slidable longitudinally.in said tubular support; a scale movable with one end of the coreadapted to be projected through said hole; a spring within the tubularsupport having one end connected to the said closure said closure havinga hole formedtherethrough in alinement with the tube; a solenoid windingcarried by said tubular support adjacent said closure; a'solenoid coreslidable longitudinally in said tubular support; a scale movable withone end of the core adapted to be projected through said hole; aspringwithin the tubular support having one end connected to 'the other end ofthe solenoid core; a plug inithe other end' of the tubular support towhich the other end' of-the spring is connected; a closure for the otherend of the tubular body, said closure forming a support for theother'end' of the tubular support; and a partition within the tubularbody;

and terminals carried by said partition to which the solenoid winding isconnected.

4. In a voltage indicator, the combination of a tubular body; a closurefor one end of said body; a tubular support having one end connectedwith said closure, said closure having a hole formed therethrough inalinement with the tube; a solenoid winding carried by said tubularsupport adjacent said closure; a solenoid core slidable longitudinallyin said tubular support; a scale movable with one end of the coreadapted to be projected through said hole; a spring within the tubularsupport having one end connected to the other end of the solenoid core;a plug in the other end of the tubular support to which the other end ofthe spring is connected, said plug being adjustable longitudinally ofsaid tube; a closure for'the other end of the tubular body, said closureforming a support for the other end of the tubular support; a partitionwithin the tubularbody; and terminals carried by said partition to whichthe'solenoid winding is connected;

JONATHAN, c. PENDOCK.

